Through A Glass Darkly
by The Informer
Summary: A widowed woman and her son have resigned themselves to a rough and lonely life in a rural area of America. But they discover their fate is tied with others. In a place forgotten mellenia ago, heroes still exist, and evil lurks in the shadows...
1. One

**Through A Glass Darkly**

_    by Corrie McKinnon_

**Chapter One **

_"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."_ ­

- 1 Corinthians 13:12

***

_It was dark. _

_Dark and cold, wherever she was._

_She reached for...something. Grasping only at empty air, she stood, trembling. _

_She shivered. Icy tendrils of fear inched their way up her spine, lingering at its base._

_Silence. A vast, yet empty, silence._

_Then, a scream. The hair at the nape of her neck rose._

_The scream came again; this time, other moans and wails accompanied it._

_She squeezed her eyes shut, clamping her hands over her ears. "Stop it!" She begged. "Please, leave me alone!"_

The cacophony of sounds did not cease. It became more difficult to tell when one sound ended and another began. They seemed to blend.

_Whispers taunted her. "...destruction lay waste...know...child shall lead..."_

_"No..." she moaned. Why wouldn't they stop?_

_As if they heard her, the voices came again with a vengeance. "...darkness over the land...chosen..."_

_She couldn't take anymore. "STOP!"_

_Time itself seemed to freeze. Then, there was a blinding flash of light! She blinked and cautiously looked around. Where was she? This place brought no feelings of terror and despair like the last. She seemed to be standing on a riverbank. The water below was a dazzling shade of blue and just looking at it made her long for a taste. _

_Suddenly, she tensed. There was someone else here! She glanced nervously around, taking a step back._

_Her foot collided with something warm. Something...alive! Screaming, she leapt forward, whirling around to face whatever it was. _

_It was a person. A man. She couldn't make out much more. His back was facing her._

_Just as she was about to demand his identity, he turned abruptly. Her eyes widened and she gasped._

_"J-James?" She stammered. No! Her mind raced, trying to find a logical explanation. Impossible, he's dead!_

_Her husband merely gazed at her unemotionally. They stared at each other. It could have been hours or minutes that went by. Without warning, his hand raised and a finger pointed accusingly at her, and he whispered in a wraithlike voice:_

_"The reaper cometh for thee."_

_The image before her shattered and glass rained down, slicing into her painfully. She felt herself falling...falling..._

* * *

"Mom! Mom, wake up!"

Shelby Bryant jerked awake, heart pounding. Her son stared at her anxiously from his perch on the end of the bed.

"Did you have another nightmare 'bout Dad?" He questioned. 

She grimaced. It was never her intention that Connor know about the dreams, but for an eight-year-old, he was pretty hard to fool. _Who am I kidding? More like impossible to fool,_ she corrected herself.

"Yes," she finally allowed. "But I'm all right." She made an effort to smile, but it must not have worked because he simply stared back solemnly. Her heart wept for the man her little boy had to become at such a tender age. Already his sky blue eyes spoke of a life wrought with hardship.

Connor shifted awkwardly. "Well...I guess I'll go get ready for school. You didn't wake me up hours before my alarm this time."

Shelby winced at the reminder of last night's dream. "I'll go make breakfast. Let's see if we can't get you to school on time today, hmm?"

"'Kay." He bounded into his room and slammed the door behind him.

She rolled her eyes, but her smile belied the action. _Boys._ Groaning, she sat up. Her body demanded more sleep but she was determined to start the day on time. 

Shelby yawned as she ambled into the miserable excuse for a kitchen, and grabbed for the box of Cheerios on the counter. It wasn't exactly a breakfast to start your day on, but it was cheap, and with her salary...She shook off those dreary thoughts.

"Connor! Hurry up, or you'll be late again," she called.

"Coming!"

Sighing, she gazed morosely out the window above the sink. They lived in the slums of Peculiar, Missouri, in a shabby, run-down apartment complex, getting by with money Shelby had saved pre-James. She swallowed hard, blinking back sudden tears. It had happened only five months ago. His death had been unexpected. Then again, what death wasn't? He had been driving home on his last day of work before the Christmas break. He had come upon a sharp corner and couldn't see the patch of ice. By the time he spotted the danger, and applied the brakes, it was too late. He spun out of control, and hit another vehicle head-on. The next week passed in a blur. The passengers in the other car felt vindictive and sued. They hired lawyers to deceive the court by saying James had caused the accident. No other witnesses had been on the road that night, how could anyone prove otherwise? Shelby's attorneys were no match for theirs. They got every penny that had been in James Bryant's name, leaving his family, not destitute, but near it. They had never really been rich, but they were by no means poor. They were simply well off. Now…well.

Shelby smiled sadly. _Now we're living in a hole in the wall with hardly any money to speak of. _Still lost in memories, she poured milk in the cereal.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of her son.

Connor scowled when he saw her. "Mo-om!" He complained. "Why'd you tell me to hurry when you're not even dressed yet?"

She blinked and looked down at herself. Swearing under her breath, she eyed the clock. 8:06. "Connor, there's a sandwich I made yesterday in the 'fridge. Pack it in your lunch box with a Capri Sun while I get dressed. Then put on your shoes and I'll walk you to the bus stop. We _will_ be on time." 

He immediately moved to obey. She smiled faintly. He was such a good kid. A loud honk from outside caused her to jump. She sighed irritably. _Oh, this will be a fun day. Only eight-fifteen and I'm already jumpy. Must be PMS._

***

Shelby eyed herself in the mirror critically. Not bad for a twenty-nine year old woman. Glancing at the clock she smirked. It was only eight-twenty. They were going to be on time. She slipped on her trainers and grabbed her purse.

"Let's go Connor!"

She checked herself one last time in the hall mirror. A pretty brown-haired, green-eyed woman stared back. Shelby was surprised at the weight she'd lost. She looked like those anorexic teenagers on TV. Her eyes were hollow and dull; even her hair hung lifeless at her shoulders.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Mother and son locked eyes. Shelby was the first to drop her gaze. _Coward,_ her conscience mocked her.

"I'm fine honey," she lied. "Ready to go?"

He looked at her suspiciously, but nodded.

"Right then," she said, attempting a cheerful tone. "We're off."

Shelby locked the door to apartment 14B and walked to the end of the sidewalk where the bus stop was. Connor was abnormally silent. _Probably picking up on my good mood,_ she thought wryly.

"Connor," she said suddenly, "why don't I pick you up from school today and we'll go see the new _Lord of the Rings_ movie? I know you've been wanting to see it."

He perked up. "Really?" He cried excitedly. Movies were a rare, if ever, treat for them nowadays.

She shrugged. "Why not? We need some time together outside of the house."

He punched the air victoriously. "Awesome! I've heard the special effects are really cool. Plus, there's this part where they have to…" He prattled on but Shelby only half listened. She was remembering days curled up on the window seat in the attic of her parent's house, reading about J.R.R. Tolkien's enchanting world.

_If only such a place existed,_ she thought wistfully. _Connor and I would live there and wouldn't have to worry about our problems anymore. If only..._She shivered. The wind had turned chilly.

***

In an alley, something observed the woman and child. It peered down at words written on a piece of parchment in a long-dead language, and looked at the humans again. When it spoke, the wind itself seemed to recoil in revulsion and fear. "So. It begins."

The creature retreated into the shadows and waved his arm. His form dissipated until it was as if he was never there. The parchment drifted to the ground. Although virtually unknown, the writing could have been dismissed as merely gibberish. Except for the fact that it was written in blood.

To be continued...

**My first LotR composition. You like? Review and tell me (or email me). Also, depending on my schedule, I will probably update every Tuesday.**      


	2. Two

Disclaimer: LotR, of course, does not belong to me. I own Shelby, and Connor, but that's it. Through A Glass Darkly 

_    by Corrie McKinnon_

Chapter Two 

_"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday." _– Psalm 91:5-6

***

Isn't there a movie plot out there like this that people pay a lot of money to see? Girl has to slave away at a backbreaking job, getting paid next-to-nothing, until Prince Charming sweeps her off her feet. Shelby snorted softly. _Why waste that money when they can see the real thing for free? And I sure don't see any sign of a prince in my life._

After seeing Connor onto the bus, she began the quarter mile walk to her job at the post office. This was one of those times where she wished she had a car. Stumbling over something in her way, she quickly righted herself, and curiously glanced down to see what she had tripped over. _Hello, what have we here?_ She thought to herself. It was an ancient looking piece of paper; in fact, if she didn't know better, she would have said it was parchment. That wasn't the most unusual thing, however. There was writing on it, but it was completely undecipherable; she'd never seen the like! Before James had…well, before anyway, they had done a lot of traveling, and she'd been exposed to her share of languages. Shelby was positive that this was no known text. She eyed it closely. Was that…blood?

"Bryant! You comin' to work sometime this year?" 

Shelby groaned. Her boss. Perfect. "Yes, Mr. Pittman."

The short, balding man grunted, and waddled back into the building up ahead. The post office was not that much to behold. It had once been white, but the paint had peeled so much that it was now mostly a dirty beige. Also, someone, a delinquent perhaps, had spray-painted foul words on the entrance. Every time they'd washed it off, it had happened again, so they just ignored it. 

Shelby hurriedly increased her pace. Her salary was already minute, she couldn't afford for it to be decreased anymore on account of tardiness. Out of breath, she threw open the door, its hinges creaking shut in her wake as she entered. Her body was nearly overwhelmed by the barrage of sounds and sights. People were rushing around everywhere and shouting across the room at each other. _Another lovely day,_ she thought dryly.

"Hey Shelby, what's that there?" A co-worker asked, motioning to her hand.

She shoved the paper in her pocket. "Oh, uh, nothing."

***

Anyone who saw Shelby Bryant's face at this moment would probably assume her cat had died. Her shoulders were slumped, her eyes world-weary, and her mouth pinched tightly. She sighed and reached up to massage her temple. After what was almost the worst day of her life, which she would _not_ even begin to go into, she was looking forward to time spent with Connor. Even if it was in an action packed movie.

Shelby approached the local school, smiling slightly, watching the little blond chatter with his friends. It was good to see him talking to other kids his age; ever since his father had…gone, he had become withdrawn like her, and interaction with people meant he was coping. 

As she got closer, Connor caught sight of her, and waved his arm excitedly. She heard him brag to a boy that he was going to see the new _Lord of the Rings_ movie. She frowned sadly. If that was the most he had to look forward too…she shoved those thoughts out of her mind, they were too depressing for now. 

Connor bade his friend goodbye, and bounded enthusiastically over to her. "Hey Mom! Are we going now?"

"Don't I get a hug first?" She teased.

He sighed, exasperated, giving her a quick squeeze.

Shelby rolled her eyes. "Well, I suppose that's good enough." She stared walking toward the old theatre. "How was your day?"

Connor slung his backpack over one shoulder. "Okay. We had a math test today. Joey did really bad, but I got a 92."

"Good job!" Shelby praised. "Studying pays off."

They walked in comfortable silence for about five minutes.

Suddenly, Shelby was forced to stop or run into her son. "What is it?"

He turned pleading blue eyes on her. "Mom, can we cut through the woods? Please? It's faster."

Shelby hesitated. It wasn't dangerous, but snakes were out this time of year. "Well…I suppose it'd be all right," she said slowly. "But no running! You could step on a rattler."

"Yes!" Connor cried. Obeying Shelby, he didn't run, but he sped up to a fast walk. She pretended not to notice as they entered the woods. They were a place that seemed to glow with magic.

Shelby closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. If she imagined hard enough, she could almost forget about all her troubles. Almost. She glanced at Connor. He too seemed to have fallen under the spell.

Keeping an eye out for snakes, she allowed Connor to explore, albeit close by. It was cool in here, but not overtly so, it was just right. A person could stay in here for hours. Travel anywhere, most forests and woods had at least some amount of litter. Oddly, this small portion of nature in Peculiar, Missouri, had escaped any pollution whatsoever. Even the air was fresh, unspoiled by smog and other such things. 

It was a little heaven on earth, Shelby decided. Even the animals were different. It was as if they'd never seen a human before. Instead of running or eyeing them suspiciously, they calmly and curiously regarded them, and came closer. A squirrel came within a foot of them and reared up on its hind legs. Even when they walked by, it stayed where it was.

Shelby allowed all of her tension and stress of the day to be soothed by the peaceful utterings of the woods. It was impossible to be here and not be happy. It was…perfect. There was no other word for it. Maybe Connor would-

Wait. Where was Connor? "Connor?"

Silence answered her.

Shelby's voice pitched higher in panic. "Connor, where are you?"

What if a snake had bitten him? What if he had fallen and hit his head? What if he had been kidnapped?

She broke into a jog, looking anxiously from side to side. "Connor, please!" She moaned.

Suddenly she paused, listening. Was that a voice?

It came again, not loud enough to be understood, it could be an animal.

But it wasn't. 

"Mom!"

Shelby nearly crumpled in relief. "I'm coming, baby."

His voice came again, impatient. "Hurry!"

Obviously he wasn't hurt.

She should have been angry, she knew, but after all they'd been through…well, it just wasn't worth it.

Shelby followed the direction of Connor's voice and came upon a small clearing.

Connor was standing in the middle of it, looking down, but he looked up when he heard her.

"Mom, come look! It's a circle of mushrooms!" 

A circle of mushrooms? She gasped. It couldn't be. 

Connor was still speaking. "…and then I tripped over that big one and saw the circle. What is it?"

Shelby was staring, and barely heard her son. "It's a fairy ring."

Connor scrunched up his nose in thought. "What's that?"

Shelby spoke in an awed tone, trying to convey how special this was to him. "I found a fairy ring once. When I went home that day, I asked my mother what it was, and she told me that the fairies had made it for humans to wish upon when they needed help. She warned me to wish wisely, for I would only get one wish. So I went back the next day. But when I got there, it was gone. To this day I've never seen another."

Connor was quiet for a moment.

Then, he smiled at her. "Make a wish, Mom." 

How sweet! She hadn't gotten to wish before, so he was letting her make one now. It wouldn't work, but it was sweet all the same. "Are you sure? You found it honey."

He nodded firmly. "You do it."

She stepped into the circle with him and closed her eyes. What to wish for? She couldn't wish for just anything, it had to be perfect. Shelby thought hard. Ah! _I wish that we could live in a place with no worries at all so that Connor could be a child again._ She opened her eyes and smiled at her son. "Well, we'd better go. We'll be late for the mov-"

Suddenly, the ground started to shake. Clouds blotted out the sun, and lighting streaked across the sky. Shelby barely heard Connor's cry of alarm over the roaring in her ears. _What's happening?_ She clutched Connor to her and felt him tremble in her arms. Something made her look up, and she screamed, just before lighting hit them.

Everything went still. As sky cleared once again, the sun shone down on the woods. The fairy ring, and everything within it, was gone. 

Two eyes glared at the empty spot. "Master won't like this." They twin orbs vanished, and all was as it was.

**I know this seems kind of rushed, but I've had a bad week, and I don't have a beta reader (hint). Please leave a review.**


	3. Three

Disclaimer: LotR is not mine, and I make no claim to anything. Shelby and Connor are mine, however, and I would appreciate being asked before their use.

Author's note: It's been quite a while since I read the trilogy, so forgive any mistakes you might find. However, I will attempt to prevent said mistakes, as I am armed with _The Silmarillion_, _The Lost Tales 1 & 2_, _The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth_, and of course, the original trilogy, which I am re-reading. Thank you for reviewing and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

****

Through A Glass Darkly

__

by Corrie McKinnon

****

Chapter Three

__

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." – Isaiah 11:6

***

It was dark.

Dark and cold.

Oh no! Was she dreaming again?

As Shelby became more aware, she realized two things: it was dark because her eyes were shut and the cold was a result of being on the ground.

Ground?

Her eyes shot open and Shelby looked around wildly. This wasn't the woods in Peculiar, Missouri! The trees were drastically taller, and seemed more ancient. Noises uttered from the trees were like none she had ever heard before. There was no sign of civilization anywhere. And where was that fairy ring?!

Thoroughly frightened now, Shelby dazedly picked herself up from the forest – for that was what it was, she realized – floor, and absentmindedly massaged her sore head as she tried to place her surroundings.

Suddenly, she froze in terror. _Connor!_ Oh, not again. "Connor!" She screamed, giving no thought to discretion. Just before she voiced another yell, her son complained from somewhere behind her:

"Jeez Mom, you about broke my eardrums!"

Nearly sobbing in relief, she seized him in a hug, ignoring his protests. "Thank God! You scared me to death!" Shelby said hoarsely.

"Okay, okay, get a grip," Connor muttered in embarrassment, face flushing red.

"Come on. We're getting out of here." Holding his hand for reassurance, Shelby started walking. _If we walk long enough, we're sure to find the way out,_ she determined. _Won't we?_

She tugged Connor a little closer. "Stick close, baby," she murmured, glancing nervously about.

He scowled and mumbled something about not being a baby, but did squeeze her hand. They kept walking.

Perhaps an hour later, Shelby was ready to yell in frustration and Connor seemed no happier. "All right, we'll stop for a few minutes," Shelby sighed. They hadn't found anything, anyway.

Connor wandered off a little ways, examining a tree, whilst Shelby plopped down tiredly to give her poor legs a break. Why did it suddenly get so quiet? Everything seemed to have gone still. No birds or frogs or bugs were making any noise whatsoever. Not even the wind blew.

"Connor," Shelby said, standing slowly, "I think we should go now."

"What it is, Mommy?" His eyes were darting around nervously, and he walked to her, willingly taking her hand. He only called her "Mommy" when he wanted something or was afraid.

__

Snap!

Shelby jumped in fright. _What was that? Oh Lord, don't tell me there's bears this time of year too!_

__

Hssss...

She swallowed, forcing her heart, which had leapt into her throat, back down. Connor shook from beside her but didn't utter a sound, although he was obviously terrified. His wide eyes met hers and she squeezed his hand for reassurance. Shelby told herself to stay calm. _It's probably just a raccoon,_ she reasoned.

But the thing that emerged from the cache of trees was no raccoon.

Nor was it a bear. It was a…squirrel? 

It was!

However, there was something off about it. For one, it was black. That was odd enough, but it also sported ruby red eyes and fangs covered in frothing white saliva. And it was about twice normal size. That cinched it: trouble.

Shelby remembered reading somewhere that running attracts an animal's attention. Slowly, non-threateningly, she took Connor's hand and began backing away. The squirrel-thing regarded them steadily; seeming almost amused by their efforts.

This was not a good situation.

Out of nowhere, someone appeared between them and the mutant squirrel. Shelby bit back a gasp. It was a man! He was tall, over six feet, with long, white-blond hair. _And what a body!_ She thought appreciatively. He was muscular, but not bulky; lean, but not puny. And all this from behind!

Their rescuer wielded a bow with a quiver full of arrows, which he now had trained on the black monstrosity. The squirrel growled and spat at him warningly. The arrow was let fly and landed with a disgusting slurping sound into the breast of the beast. It gave a last, hair-raising shriek, and died. 

The man turned around. Shelby fought to keep from gaping. If perfection had a face, his would be it. _Great Shell. Way with the sappiness,_ she chastised herself. He had intense, violet eyes and generous cheekbones with a firm, kissable mouth. He arched an eyebrow at her perusal and she blushed. Then she noticed something. His ears were…pointed.

Shelby was suddenly feeling lightheaded. Either she had stumbled onto a Vulcan or they were further away from home than she thought. 

The "man" apparently gathered that something was amiss and he asked her a question. In a language she didn't understand.

Throughout this exchange, Connor had been quiet, too intimidated to speak. Now that the danger was past, he was filled with the urgent need to speak. "Mom, what's he saying?"

Still in shock, she simply replied, "I don't know."

His brow furrowed and tried again in another language with no success.

Shelby shook her head helplessly. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're saying."

He appeared frustrated with this development and just stared at her for a moment. Finally, he motioned for her to follow him. That signal was universal, so she understood, but hesitated. For all she knew, he could be an axe murderer. _Well, what choice have you got? The next thing you meet might be another mutant squirrel!_

Interpreting her hesitance himself, he tapped his chest, and said slowly and clearly: "Túrelio." 

Shelby stared at him, trying to puzzle this out. He repeated his motions. Oh! "Shelby," she said in the same slow, clear manner, touching her chest.

He reiterated her name then pointed to her side, to Conner.

Having watched his mother and the stranger's attempts to communicate, he copied their actions. "Connor," he said.

The stranger seemed to have a harder time with his name. "Khonner" they settled on.

He gestured again for them to follow him, this time, they did so without pause. _After all, who but Lestat would introduce himself before killing someone?_ She deduced logically.

They trudged along for a while, and Shelby wondered what sane person would think hiking was fun? Then again, her shoes might take the blame for this.

On the other hand, Connor was thoroughly enjoying himself. It wasn't often that little boys had adventures. He was having the time of his young life!

When they got hungry, their companion offered them something that looked a lot like her mother-in-law's homemade bread. Shelby cautiously took a bite, then found herself closing her eyes in rapture. It was sweet, but not too much, and had an invigorating effect on her weary body.

"Thank you," she said, handing Connor some. However, he got the gist, and smiling, nodded his head. _I hope we get there soon._ _It's almost nightfall._

When it had been night for about an hour, her son started to nod off. Túrelio eyed the sleepy little boy, and, without warning, picked him up.

Shelby was startled, but relaxed when Connor went right to sleep. _It's not like he can run with a seventy pound boy on his back,_ she told herself.

Soon after that, Shelby began to tire as well. Just when she was about to ask if they could take a break, he stopped and pointed. Shelby gaped.

In front of her was Camelot.

***

****

I know this is a day late, but I was in the car forEVER, driving from L.A. to Texas. My apologies! But please review anyway. J 


	4. Four

Disclaimer: Let's keep it short and sweet, shall we? I own nothing but the simple characters of my own invention. Please don't sue.

A/N: Unlike the previous chapters, this one takes up_ exactly_ where the other three left off. Oh, and this version of the chapter hasn't been beta read as of yet. When my beta reader (**Makura Koneko**…go read her fics!) gets to it, I will post the corrected version.

****

Through A Glass Darkly

__

By Corrie McKinnon

****

Chapter Four

__

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." – 1 Peter 5:8

***

Or at least something that looked like it.

Shelby blinked owlishly at an impressively realistic rendition of the fabled palace of Arthur's. _Lovely. We've run into a Renaissance Faire where they dress up as blond, sexy Vulcans. Well, one of them must have a cell phone,_ she deduced, ignoring the twinge of dread that was growing in her mind.

Apparently, the castle was not their destination, for Túrelio halted, gently placed the sleeping Connor on the ground, and turned to face Shelby. Through hand signals, he managed to tell her to wait while he went and did…something. The last bit was untranslatable.

She watched him until he was out of sight, shivering all the while. The night seemed more foreboding when you were alone. Plus, one had more time to stew, and that was never a good thing.

__

What is going on here? This is a small town, surely something of this magnitude would have been announced in the paper, Shelby reasoned. _And what about that guy? That language...I've never heard anything like it! Something's not right._ She glanced down when Connor stirred, but he was merely shifting. She sighed and settled down to wait. 

After what seemed like hours had passed, Shelby was ready to go find Túrelio, regardless of the consequences. She was tired, hungry, and frightened. As much as she had fought it, it now appeared more likely that they were most definitely not in Missouri anymore. The psycho squirrel, the Vulcan-man, the Camelot look-alike castle…not to mention the abnormally tall trees looming overhead! Shelby was a factual person, and all evidence pointed toward, no _screamed_ "this isn't Kansas anymore".

Frustrated, she jumped up and furiously began to pace. "This is _not_ what I had in mind for a relaxing day," she moaned softly to herself. Glancing for what must have been the thousandth time in the direction Túrelio had gone, she increased her pacing speed anxiously. Where was he?

Suddenly, she stumbled and stepped on a twig that made a loud snap in protest. Shelby winced and glanced at her son, praying he wouldn't wake up.

Apparently his subconscious wasn't listening at the moment. Connor's eyes fluttered, and he stretched and sat up. "Mom?" He said, yawning. "What's going on?" He pushed himself up to come stand by her.

"Nothing. I'm just a little restless." _Liar..._

"Where'd the dude with the long hair and pointy ears go?"

Shelby gestured vaguely at the castle. "Presumably to get help."

"Mom…where are we?" Connor's voice had taken on a vulnerable tone.

She bit her lip. What could she tell him? That the 'innocent' fairy ring had zapped them to Never Never Land where Vulcans in tights who couldn't speak any known language walked around with bows and arrows? Uh uh. Absolutely not!

Shelby smiled reassuringly. "I'm not sure. But don't worry. We'll be okay, I promise."

Her son relaxed and grinned at her. Ah, to be young and naïve again!

"Shelby."

She jumped in fright. Good lord, didn't these people make noise when they walked? Connor peered out from behind her, his eyes wide with intimidation.

And with good reason: Túrelio had returned but not alone. There were two other men with him. One of them was tall with the same pointy ears as their rescuer, but that was where the similarities stopped. This Vulcan had dark brown hair and serious blue eyes. And was the other one…yes! A human, at last.

Apparently Túrelio had informed his companions of the communication problem. The dark-haired Vulcan made an elegant gesture to himself (did everyone here take ballet, or something?) and said, "Elrond."

The human gave her a grave smile. "Aragorn," he said softly. She should have been wary of the newcomers, but there was something in the human's eyes that said 'I am trustworthy'.

Shelby offered them a shy smile. "Shelby," she said to them, waiting for her son to introduce himself.

When he said nothing after a few minutes, she glanced down. Connor was still staring at them.

"Aren't you going to say hello?"

Connor violently shook his head. Shelby sighed. This was too much for him. He was usually bold, but it was the middle of the night in a strange place, with strange people.

She shrugged apologetically at the trio and pointed to the cowering child behind her. "Connor."

Elrond pulled something out of his robes she hadn't noticed before. It was a map, she assumed. Aragorn pointed to mother and son then pointed to an area on the map. She squinted at the lettering. It looked familiar, but she still couldn't read it.

"Lothlórien," Elrond pronounced slowly. 

After a few more tries, Shelby got it. They wanted to take them to this Lauren place. She hesitated. On one hand, if she went with them, she might never see home again. But then again, the same might happen if she didn't. _I hate my life,_ she thought grouchily.

She nodded her assent, and in return, she got a smile from Túrelio and Aragorn. Elrond simply inclined his head.

Aragorn turned and motioned to someone behind him. Out of nowhere, another Vulcan approached, leading three horses. Shelby's eyes widened. They couldn't possibly think…!

Connor seized her hand excitedly. "Mom, look! We get to ride horses. I got to ride one at Joey's party last year! It was so cool," he chattered, oblivious to his mother's dismay.

"Um, hello?" She waved her hand at Túrelio. When she had his attention, she pointed to the horses, then shrugged. He stared blankly at her. _This is getting old really fast._ After a few repeats, he seemed to get the gist of it. He and Elrond conversed in low, hurried tones while glancing back periodically.

Finally, they appeared to come to a conclusion. Túrelio mounted a horse and urged it over, halting about a foot from Shelby and her son. He scooted back and held a hand toward her, clearly expecting her to get on. Well, okay, she could deal with that. As long as the beast didn't go too fast. But…

"Connor?" She questioned.

Túrelio offered a reassuring smile. "Aragorn," he said simply, implying that her son would be accompanied by the only human.

After overseeing her son's ascent onto the horse, she was back where she began: standing in front of the other animal. It blinked at her placidly. _Don't look at me with those innocent eyes,_ she thought. _I can see right through you._ _You're just waiting 'til I feel relaxed and safe, then you'll bite me or kick or...or..._

"Shelby?" Túrelio asked curiously. 

She blushed when she realized that they were all staring at her. "Oh well. Guess I can't put it off any longer. Nice horsie," she said, just in case. The thing merely yawned. Ingrate. 

She gingerly placed her hand into Túrelio's, and he effortlessly pulled her into place in front of him. He waited patiently as she squirmed to get comfortable. As soon as she nodded her head, her escort waved to the rest of the party.

They were off!

***

****

A/N: All right, first of all, I am VERY sorry about the long wait. Life hasn't been easy for me lately, and I've had some things that I just couldn't ignore in favor of writing. I'm grateful for your patience, and thrilled people are enjoying my composition so well! I posted TAGD on a whim; I didn't think it would be this popular. Because I'm in such a good mood right now, I'll answer some questions asked in reviews. Be aware that I don't usually (and probably won't again) reply to questions in my actual story, because I believe it takes away the impact of the plotline. In the future, if you ask a question either send it to my email address, or go ahead and ask in a review and I'll answer you with an email.

JustBreathe – I'm sorry, but I've already gotten one! Thank you, though! J erika palad – Wow! What a review, you left me speechless! I hope I continue to live up to your expectations. theMuse – Brilliant? *blushes* Tell that to my brother! LOL LeopardDance – Thank you! And good eye! She WAS too trusting. But the catch is, I intended to do that. I have relatives in Peculiar and the entire town is VERY sheltered. Most people there are pretty naïve. They don't really want to believe that some people might have bad intentions. deepy – Túrelio is speaking Westron. I ABHOR when people assume "common speech" means English! If you were in France, is "common speech" German? NO! Finally, there is another writer out there with a brain! J Chatelaine – *falls over in shock* Whoa! If your reviews were any more flattering, I'd develop a big head. 

Again, thank you all for being patient. I apologize if I didn't get to your question(s). I should update again in about a week.

– Corrie


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